Bands, Gigs & Industry Gossip

Thursday, 26 August 2010

>> So here is a quick buzz about this weekend 'cause SOMETHING's COMING... Truth be told: Forget about any 'good night of sleep'-resolution if you ever had one because, once more, the North West is will behome to festival lunatics. It's time to rave on both sides of Man City with Leeds 2010 in the East and

Matthew Street Festival in the West. Stretching from the Cavern Quarter to the Bluecoat, Liverpool's preparing itself to get hit by a wave of fabulous, yet fanatic and possibly ferocious tribute acts.

All those of you who are still missing the right soundtrack to get into the mood for this commemorable event, get down to the record fairs. Si, si. I said fairSsss... We got two supreme gatherings coming up this weekend.

followed by, nummero due,Leaf Tea Shop's fair on Saturday. First come, first served. So, leave that pillow alone. No more turning-around-just-five-more-minutes-diva attitude. Pop some Asprin against that hangover and off you go! Or you might miss out on some priceless collectables.

Here's a track by Mr. Scruff to get you in the mood for some vinyl life. See you on Friday.

Saturday, 22 May 2010

>> So I've tested the grounds of The Shipping Forecast, our new supposedly 'hip' venue on Slater St and replacement for Flares.

Conclusion? It's quite cozy and familiar there. Feels like a B-version of the old Korova. Compact, a bit pub-like menu with a variety of medium - nd high-profile gigs on every month. They're also hosted some of the Sound City 2010 gigs with leads me to my latest blurbs about the Sleigh Bells gig last Thursday.

>> I'm loving this new "Blog It" Safari plugin. It truthfully makes my blogging life much easier. Henceforth, look what I've found when googling for some free music by multi-instrumentalist Catherine A.D.

As for Meg - here passion and genuineness work via the unspoken word... and do succeed. Seemingly simplistic, pounding drum beats underpinning Jack's sometimes almost torturous, infinite range of guitar riffs musically highlight the closeness and familiarity between the former couple, which adds a unique, intimate element to their on-stage appearance and sound.

Having listened to The White Stripes since their breakthrough in 2002, I still don't seem to truly get them. To me, their personalities just as well as their music are intertwined and multiple-layered in more than binary-coded way. Every time I seem to come close to thinking "I know what Jack was on about when he wrote this song", I bounce back into my corner of nescience. And yet, I'm still not be able to resist and fall back into their clutches made of uncompromising existentialist lyrics and their unvarnished, pulsing, sheer elusive musicality.

"The music is really completely in charge of all..." - Jack White

Back in the day, the duo's distinctively, deliberate stage outfits triggered hotheaded debates in an industry that majorly builds its success on stylised appearances rather than on anything else. The White Stripes' unifying, carefully elaborated punk-meets-minimalist fashion sense, on the other hand, implied and doubtlessly inflamed a counter movement to the brand-controlled mainstream consumer culture.

Luckily, Purple Revolver, Über & Parr Street Studios have decided to screen The White Stipes' own 92-min-rock-documentary, painting an exclusive picture of Jack & Meg's lives on tour with their crew, fans and each other. Whereas it was playing only one song a small Canadian town or ruling the big stage in Toronto - the unvarnished footage of "Under Great White Northern Lights" - just like their music - restates the band's image once again.

Sunday, 18 April 2010

>> Still racked by the dazing news about Korova's black Saturday, I am slowly beginning to come to terms with this disastrous event. Despite my time-to-time mourning about the old Korova's stuffy, yet indigenous and much missed atmosphere, I actually found myself in a unfortunate situation on Saturday night. The original plan to start off the night (and, sometimes, remain glued to the utmost comfortable, American diner style leather couches) had to be revised... and so was the gig schedule by EVOL.

Thursday, 01 April 2010

>> It obviously has its advantages to be online at this time on a Thursday night as I've just stumbled across this worldclass announcement by Alexis Blue. Their new EP "(Sir Ian)3" is now available for free download. So get clickin' people! x Miriam

>> According to Fly Magazine's latest album review, great things are yet to be expected from We Have Band. And as fate willed, We Have Band are going to perform at The Kazimier tomorrow night! Check back with the "Easter Highlights & More" post for more details on tickets & times. (The supporting acts will include Indica Ritual!).

'In the midst of 2009’s electro onslaught, We Have Band almost seemed like an industry joke: three former EMI employees so Shoreditch they could have fallen out of Nathan Barley here to prove how the only things you really need to succeed are a few contacts and a suitably asymmetric haircut. Of course though, they were always much more than that and, a sensible gap year later, they’ve returned with an album that shows just what a force they really are. Opener ‘Piano’ comes on like a drug-fuelled, hazy fairground ride, ‘Divisive’ fills the genius void between New Order and Chew Lips, whilst ‘Oh!’ is a strutting reminder of what made us prick up our ears originally. EMI’s loss is definitely our gain.'

Tuesday, 30 March 2010

>> Easter, aka " the feast of chocolate eggs & love bunnies" (at least to those of us who don't associate themselves with the Christian faith) is approaching. Apart from Cream's much-promoted Easter Special @ Nation, which will come as a blessing to all the Electro / Dance fans amongst us, Liverpool's indie scene is also going to go with the furry bunny flow, filling this feast with ever so flamboyant combos & club nights.

Saturday, 20 March 2010

>> "I Just Want To See Your Face" - With its almost "hybrid" mixture of fractured, diffuse, psychedelic preludes breaking down at 46sec into a rather steady Scandinavian, pop-esque voyage through the supersonic universe of Serena Maneesh, this track gives one a first glimpse of the new record.

>> According to lead member Emil Nikolaisen, Serena Maneesh's forthcoming album "S-M 2: Abyss in B Minor" sounds like"a rock'n'roll chamber of magic"... An overstatement? You'll find that out soon. Nonetheless, from I've listened to so far, I predict that this one is going beat its predecessor.

>> "S-M 2: Abyss in B Minor", produced by British indie label 4AD, will be in stores this Monday, 22nd March 2010.

"The Dead Weather have revealed that the title of their forthcoming second album will be 'Sea Of Cowards'. As previously reported, Jack White announced that the follow-up to 2009's 'Horehound' was due out in April, but now according to reports at Entertainment.ie, the album will be released on May 7. Preceding the album, the band are set to release a new single 'Die By The Drop', with a release date expected to be announced soon. Meanwhile, earlier this week Jack White defended his White Stripes bandmate Meg's drumming skills and also revealed that he has recently recorded a song with Jay-z." (NME.com)

Wednesday, 17 March 2010

>> Brilliant! The Liverpool Sound City 2010 team finally published an overview with a search function and links for wristbands & single tickets orders. Check back with their website & secure your tickets!